1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a tool for enabling a user to adjust air volume dampers associated with HVAC ductwork. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool for enabling users thereof to adjust air volume dampers commonly associated with forced air duct systems located in remote, otherwise hard to reach, spatial locations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are well known in the art. Further, it is noted that various means have been devised to control the volume of air flowing through forced air ventilation systems. For state of the art references, the reader is casually directed to U.S. Pat. No. 2,224,208, which issued to Acer ('208 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,877, which issued to Maage, Jr. ('877 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,473, which issued to Hennen ('473 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,114, which issued to Phillips (''114 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,900, which issued to Cole ('900 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,371, which issued to Leemhuis ('371 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,226, which issued to Feinberg ('226 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,486, which issued to McCabe (''486 Patent); U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,625, which issued to Miklos ('625 Patent); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,895, which issued to McGill ('895 Patent).
It will be seen from an inspection of the noted disclosures that HVAC systems typically comprise a series of forced air ducts and any number of volume dampers for adjusting the volume of air flow directed through the ductwork. To adjust the air flow through forced air ductwork, the volume dampers comprise adjustment means. However, when the adjustment means are not self-directing, and must be adjusted by an on-site technician, the on-site technician often finds that adjustable volume dampers are often situated in hard to reach areas.
HVAC systems are typically located immediately adjacent either ceilings or walls, which often require the on-site technician to use a ladder or some other similar means to gain close access to duct work to adjust volume flow of air through different duct work. With the exception of the '895 patent, none of the prior art disclosures hereinabove noted teaches means for remotely and manually adjusting a volume damper assembly. From a close inspection of the '895 patent, it will be seen that the disclosure teaches a damper for an air flow system opening, such as the air inlet of a clean room filter module, and includes a number of control plates reciprocally mounted on holding elements and a drive element. Notably, the '895 patent further teaches a tool usable to manually and remotely rotate a threaded end of the drive element rotatably held in an opening in a beam by holders. The threaded end of the drive element cooperates with an internally threaded opening in a non-round shaped traveler passing through matching non-round openings in the control plate.
From a review of the foregoing prior art disclosures and from a general consideration of other well known prior art teachings, it will be seen that the prior art does not disclose a a volume damper tool assembly for enabling a user to adjust a selectively fastenable pivot arm as an external part of a volume damper assembly, which volume damper tool assembly comprises a rotatable inner member telescopically received in a rotatable outer member, and which inner member comprises a first inner member end, a second inner member end, an inner member axis, and an outer member surface, and which outer member comprises a first outer member end, a second outer member end, an outer member axis, and an inner member surface. The prior art further does not appear to teach a tool assembly wherein the outer member surface is movable relative to the inner member surface and in which the inner and outer member axes are substantially collinear for forming a reach axis, the inner and outer members each being selectively rotatable about the reach axis for attending to tasks at the first member ends. The prior art thus perceives a need for the briefly described structure or tool assembly.